Saturday, 6th July: A very warm and sunny morning, with more or less unbroken blue skies and just a light westerly breeze....
Ferry Pool: It was much the same as yesterday on the pool, with two Little Ringed Plovers, six Black-tailed Godwits, a Redshank, a Lapwing, eight Teal and the Shelduck present, though the Sedge Warbler was silent/absent from the adjacent Small Pool.
There were three Spotted Redshanks in the channel opposite, early on, and a Common Sandpiper flew over towards the Ferry, whilst there were also a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Redshank, a couple of Teal and a female Wigeon present. (AH/IP)
Church Norton: There was still lots of activity in the harbour, with at least one juvenile Little Tern and 50+ juvenile Sandwich Terns seen among the throng.
A Whimbrel, a Grey Plover and a few Curlews, Ringed Plovers and Black-tailed Godwits were the only other birds of note in the harbour, though Skylarks were seen carrying food on the spit, ten young Swallows went over and one or two Whitethroats and Long-tailed Tits, plus a Sparrowhawk were around the bushes.
Also, a Marbled White and a probable Purple Hairstreak were among the selection of butterflies seen. (AH/BI/IP/S&SaH/PB)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The first-year Spoonbill was on the Stilt Pool again, and a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and two Green sandpipers were in the vicinity, whilst two Buzzards, a Swift, four Sand Martins and 20+ Swallows went over.
The adult male and at least three juvenile Stonechats was still near the first viewpoint, and a Sedge Warbler and three Reed Warblers were still singing, with at least five Yellowhammers and a couple of Reed Buntings about, too. (SH/PB)
Later on the Spoonbill was still present on the Stilt Pool, along with four Little Ringed Plovers, a Ringed Plover, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and two adult and an immature Avocet.
Also, a female Red-veined Darter was on the path by the first pool from the car-park. (AB)
Park Farm Selsey: Two Sparrowhawks went over, and there were at least ten Swallows and 20 House Martins around the farm buildings. (S&SaH/PB)
Selsey: A Hummingbird Hawk-moth (a first for the trap) and a Privet Hawk-moth were in the trap this morning, whilst two Sand Martins and 20+ Swifts went over. (SH)
Honer Reservoir: A pair of Shelducks with eight well-grown young were on the reservoir this morning, whilst also in the area were a Reed Bunting, a dozen Swallows, at least four families of Whitethroats, two Buzzards and a Kestrel. (AH)
Chichester Canal: An early morning walk down the canal from Donnington produced the usual water birds with their young including good numbers of Little Grebes. A female Bullfinch was seen along with a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and plenty of Reed Warblers. A Common Tern went over with a catch and a Kingfisher was seen flying along the canal.
There was also an interesting phylloscopus-type warbler, which initially prompted thoughts of Chiffchaff, but seemed rather too pale overall and with pale legs. Having circulated some photos for further opinions, the consensus seems to lean towards Willow Warbler (perhaps a worn adult and/or in bright light)...but further opinions are welcome. (AW)
Ivy Lake: A pair of Great Crested Grebes with four young were showing well this afternoon. (C Evans)
There were three Spotted Redshanks in the channel opposite, early on, and a Common Sandpiper flew over towards the Ferry, whilst there were also a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Redshank, a couple of Teal and a female Wigeon present. (AH/IP)
Spotted Redshanks (above), Redshanks & Black-tailed Godwit around the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There was still lots of activity in the harbour, with at least one juvenile Little Tern and 50+ juvenile Sandwich Terns seen among the throng.
A Whimbrel, a Grey Plover and a few Curlews, Ringed Plovers and Black-tailed Godwits were the only other birds of note in the harbour, though Skylarks were seen carrying food on the spit, ten young Swallows went over and one or two Whitethroats and Long-tailed Tits, plus a Sparrowhawk were around the bushes.
Also, a Marbled White and a probable Purple Hairstreak were among the selection of butterflies seen. (AH/BI/IP/S&SaH/PB)
Sandwich Terns (above), Curlew, Skylark, Marbled White & a giant cruise-liner at Church Norton (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The first-year Spoonbill was on the Stilt Pool again, and a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and two Green sandpipers were in the vicinity, whilst two Buzzards, a Swift, four Sand Martins and 20+ Swallows went over.
The adult male and at least three juvenile Stonechats was still near the first viewpoint, and a Sedge Warbler and three Reed Warblers were still singing, with at least five Yellowhammers and a couple of Reed Buntings about, too. (SH/PB)
Later on the Spoonbill was still present on the Stilt Pool, along with four Little Ringed Plovers, a Ringed Plover, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and two adult and an immature Avocet.
Also, a female Red-veined Darter was on the path by the first pool from the car-park. (AB)
Park Farm Selsey: Two Sparrowhawks went over, and there were at least ten Swallows and 20 House Martins around the farm buildings. (S&SaH/PB)
Selsey: A Hummingbird Hawk-moth (a first for the trap) and a Privet Hawk-moth were in the trap this morning, whilst two Sand Martins and 20+ Swifts went over. (SH)
Privet Hawk-moth (above) & Hummingbird Hawk-moth in a Selsey garden (AH)
Honer Reservoir: A pair of Shelducks with eight well-grown young were on the reservoir this morning, whilst also in the area were a Reed Bunting, a dozen Swallows, at least four families of Whitethroats, two Buzzards and a Kestrel. (AH)
Swallow (above), Buzzard, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting & Shelducks at Honer Reservoir (AH)
Chichester Canal: An early morning walk down the canal from Donnington produced the usual water birds with their young including good numbers of Little Grebes. A female Bullfinch was seen along with a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and plenty of Reed Warblers. A Common Tern went over with a catch and a Kingfisher was seen flying along the canal.
There was also an interesting phylloscopus-type warbler, which initially prompted thoughts of Chiffchaff, but seemed rather too pale overall and with pale legs. Having circulated some photos for further opinions, the consensus seems to lean towards Willow Warbler (perhaps a worn adult and/or in bright light)...but further opinions are welcome. (AW)
Bullfinch, Common Tern and Little Grebe along Chichester canal (AW)
Three views of the phylloscopus-type warbler - probably Willow Warbler (?) - seen along the canal (AW)
Ivy Lake: A pair of Great Crested Grebes with four young were showing well this afternoon. (C Evans)
Great Crested Grebes on Ivy Lake (C Evans)
Ferry Pool: Early on there were an adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover on the pool, whilst later on there were three adults!
Otherwise, there were eight Teal, seven Black-tailed Godwits, a Lapwing and two Redshanks on the pool, with the Sedge Warbler still singing on the Small Pool and a Blackcap and a Marbled White nearby.
Also, a Spotted Redshank, a drake Wigeon, ten Black-tailed Godwits and 20 or so Lapwings and Redshank were in the channel opposite. (AH/IP)
Ivy Lake complex: There was plenty of evidence of breeding success today, including the first pair of great Crested Grebes, with young riding on their backs, a pair of Little Grebes with two young and two well grown broods - of three and four - Pochards. There were also four Tufted Duck families and a pair of Greylag Geese with three goslings, and a Chaffinch was seen feeding a youngster, too. (SR)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Norfolk Hawker was seen and photographed during a Chichester Natural History Society dragonfly survey this afternoon. This is a rare and localised species, largely restricted to the Norfolk Broads, and is a first record for the Peninsula. (Eds per CRJ)
Church Norton: There was still a never-ending conveyor-belt of Sandwich Terns bringing in fish to the many young out on the mud, with a few Common and Little Terns doing likewise, though no young were seen.
Otherwise there wasn't too much going on, with just the odd Whitethroat and a family of Long-tailed Tits by the concrete wall, a very vocal Song Thrush and a few Swallows going over, whilst in the harbour there was a Whimbrel and a few Black-tailed Godwits.
Also, a pair of Ringed Plovers had a fledged youngster with them on the beach and there were at least 50 Curlews feeding out on the strand-line at low tide. (AH/IP)
Selsey: There was a good selection in the trap this morning, including a Small Elephant Hawk-moth, four Elephant Hawk-moths, a Poplar Hawk-moth and a Black Neck. (SH)
Otherwise, there were eight Teal, seven Black-tailed Godwits, a Lapwing and two Redshanks on the pool, with the Sedge Warbler still singing on the Small Pool and a Blackcap and a Marbled White nearby.
Also, a Spotted Redshank, a drake Wigeon, ten Black-tailed Godwits and 20 or so Lapwings and Redshank were in the channel opposite. (AH/IP)
Spotted Redshank (above), Little Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Wigeon, Teal, Blackcap & Blue Tit around the Ferry (AH)
Ivy Lake complex: There was plenty of evidence of breeding success today, including the first pair of great Crested Grebes, with young riding on their backs, a pair of Little Grebes with two young and two well grown broods - of three and four - Pochards. There were also four Tufted Duck families and a pair of Greylag Geese with three goslings, and a Chaffinch was seen feeding a youngster, too. (SR)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Norfolk Hawker was seen and photographed during a Chichester Natural History Society dragonfly survey this afternoon. This is a rare and localised species, largely restricted to the Norfolk Broads, and is a first record for the Peninsula. (Eds per CRJ)
Church Norton: There was still a never-ending conveyor-belt of Sandwich Terns bringing in fish to the many young out on the mud, with a few Common and Little Terns doing likewise, though no young were seen.
Otherwise there wasn't too much going on, with just the odd Whitethroat and a family of Long-tailed Tits by the concrete wall, a very vocal Song Thrush and a few Swallows going over, whilst in the harbour there was a Whimbrel and a few Black-tailed Godwits.
Also, a pair of Ringed Plovers had a fledged youngster with them on the beach and there were at least 50 Curlews feeding out on the strand-line at low tide. (AH/IP)
Little Terns (above), Common Tern, Sandwich Terns, mixed terns, Whimbrel, Whitethroat & Song Thrush at Church Norton (AH)
Selsey: There was a good selection in the trap this morning, including a Small Elephant Hawk-moth, four Elephant Hawk-moths, a Poplar Hawk-moth and a Black Neck. (SH)
Poplar, Small Elephant and Elephant Hawk-moths (above) & Black Neck in a Selsey garden (SH)
North Wall / East side: The Breech pool is still at duck-pond level and when I looked there wasn't a single bird on or in the water; what few birds were present were huddled on the muddy corner right at the back and consisted of two Wigeon, two Teal, a few Mallard and a single Black-tailed Godwit. Nearby, a Cuckoo gave a few half-hearted calls and a few Reed Warblers and two Blackcaps were still singing intermittently.
Along White's creek and the East side were a Whimbrel, two Dunlin, 34 Oystercatchers, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, 15 Curlew and 12 Lapwings, plus six Mediterranean Gulls amongst the Black-headeds and two Great Crested Grebes in the channel. (OM)
Ferry Pool: An adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover were on the pool this morning, along with two juvenile Lapwings, a Redshank, three Black-tailed Godwits, six Teal and the Shelduck family, whilst the Sedge Warbler was still singing away in the nearby Small Pool. (AH/IP)
Little Ringed Plover (above) & Sedge Warbler around the Ferry (AH)
Long Pool: There were still a Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Whitethroats and the regular Reed and Sedge Warblers, Linnets and Reed Buntings along the pool, whilst the two Spotted Redshanks were in Ferry Channel again, along with c40 Redshank, c20 Lapwing and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits. (AH/IP)
Spotted Redshank and Redshanks (above) & Reed Bunting around the Long Pool (AH)
Later on, there were 10 new Shelduck-lings on the channel. When we first saw them they were nearer to where the channel reaches the harbour but they then drifted in on the tide. The parents were around but somewhat distracted by a canoe that was in the channel and shadowing the ducklings. (C Evans)
Shelduck-lings in Ferry Channel (C Evans)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The first-year Spoonbill was asleep on the Stilt Pool this morning, and there were also a Common Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plovers, two Ringed Plovers, a Lapwing and c30 Canada Geese, including many juveniles, present, whilst a Sandwich Tern was offshore and there were at least 50 Swallows and 20 Sand Martins, plus a couple of Swifts, flying around in the vicinity.
There were four juvenile Stonechats with an adult male (but no female) near the first viewpoint, and there were numerous Whitethroat families, Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings, Skylarks and Linnets all along the banks.
Also, a Marbled White - a surprisingly scarce butterfly at the southern end of the peninsula, was present, along with lots of the commoner species, and there were also a Red-veined Darter and a Black-tailed Skimmer along the banks. (AH/IP)
Stonechats (above), Spoonbill, Sand Martin, Common Sandpiper, Whitethroat, Ringed Plovers, Red-veined Darter, Marbled White & Small Skipper at Medmerry (AH)
Selsey: A Poplar Kitten and a Scalloped Oak were in the trap this morning. (SH)
Poplar Kitten & Scalloped Oak in a Selsey garden (SH)
Selsey, Hillfield Road: A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was showing well from the beachfront car park this evening. (ESt)
Yellow-legged Gull at Hillfield Road (ESt)
Church Norton: This evening the harbour was just a mass of Black-headed Gulls and Sandwich Terns, with hundreds of juveniles of the former and dozens of the latter begging food and making short flights and even the presence of three youths by the old harbour mouth didn't disturb them too much.
There were a few Little and Common Terns about, though somewhat overshadowed, but not too much else beyond a dozen or so Curlews, Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)
Sandwich Terns (above), Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls & Common Tern at Church Norton (AH)
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